Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy

Companies: Environment Protection

Lord Taylor of Warwick: To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to ensure that private companies retain interest in managing their environmental impact.

Lord Callanan: Achieving our net zero goal requires all businesses to take action to reduce their emissions, while helping to grow the economy. We are working with our stakeholders to drive the ambitious action needed from UK businesses to help tackle climate change and reduce their impact on the environment.We are working across government, and with our regulators to drive progress on UK companies disclosing their climate risks in line with the framework provided by the Task Force on Climate-related Financial Disclosures. TCFD can deliver high-quality disclosure on how organisations will manage the material financial risks and opportunities arising from climate change and will improve transparency and encourage better informed pricing and capital allocation.The eyes of the world will be on the UK as we host the G7 and COP26 in 2021. Business action on climate is vitally important to achieving a successful summit and presidency, and is an excellent opportunity to showcase businesses as global leaders in tackling climate change in the year leading up to COP26.Our main ask ahead of COP26 in November is for businesses to set ambitious targets and take action to reduce emissions and build resilience, joining the Race to Zero. This sends the strongest signal to markets, supply chains, governments and consumers that businesses are committed to the transition.

Small Businesses

Lord Taylor of Warwick: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the survey by Hiscox The Hiscox Business Demystified Survey Challenges for UK SMEs - 2020 and beyond, published on 4 January.

Lord Callanan: We have noted the Hiscox report and recognise the concerns it highlights that are faced by Small and Medium-sized Enterprises (SMEs), including access to finance, employee retention, and access to mental health support for employees. The Government has implemented a range of measures to mitigate the immediate economic impacts of the covid-19 pandemic, such as the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme (CJRS) and the Coronavirus Business Interruption Loan Scheme. Additionally, as of the end of January 2021, over 12 million people and jobs have been protected to a sum of around £65 billion. The loan schemes were launched at the beginning of the pandemic, and will close on 31 March 2021. A Successor Loan Scheme will be launched soon after to support additional lending. We continue to engage with SMEs across the UK both directly and through the Business Representative Organisations such as the FSB, the CBI and Make UK. Through GOV.UK’s Coronavirus support for business webpages, we are signposting mental health resources for businesses and employers, including Mind’s website and the Mental Health at Work toolkit. In terms of wider support for businesses as restrictions ease, we continue to encourage businesses to access the free and tailored support available through our core services including GOV.UK, the FREEPHONE Business Support Helpline, and the network of 38 Growth Hubs operating in England.

Temporary Employment: EU Countries

Lord Aberdare: To ask Her Majesty's Government what progress they have made on putting in place reciprocal arrangements allowing exemptions from visa requirements for UK citizens to perform short-term paid work in EU countries in return for similar exemptions for EU citizens coming to the UK.

Lord Callanan: The UK-EU Trade and Cooperation Agreement (TCA) already includes measures for short-term business visitors, who can perform a list of 11 activities without requiring a work-permit, subject to a limited number of Member State reservations. EU Member States may allow more activities without a work-permit than those specified in the agreement. This will vary country to country. Visa-free travel is not usually part of Free Trade Agreements, although the UK and EU both allow visa-free visits in their domestic laws. EU nationals can visit the UK for up to 6 months and perform a wide range of business activities (which can be found under the ‘Permitted Activities’ of the Immigration Rules). UK nationals can visit the EU for 90 days in every 180 days and also perform a range of visitor activities, although these will vary from Member State to Member State.

Small Businesses: Loans

Lord Taylor of Warwick: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the ability of small businesses to obtain finance from banks that is not underwritten by the government.

Lord Callanan: The Government continues to engage with UK Finance, the Bank of England, and the wider banking sector, to encourage the flow of finance to UK businesses.The Government continues to publish free information and advice on business finance outside the business interruption loans – including finance available from a variety of sources such as private funds and investors, and not only those guaranteed by Government. This can be found online on GOV.UK, through the business finance finder, through the network of Growth Hubs in England, and through the free Business Support Helpline.The Government has provided an unprecedented level of support to protect the UK economy through the COVID-19 pandemic, including through the business interruption loan schemes. The business interruption loans will close on 31 March and the new Recovery Loan Scheme will launch on 6 April and run until 31 December 2021, subject to review.

Northern Ireland Office

Petition of Concern

Lord Caine: To ask Her Majesty's Government how many reports on the operation of the Petition of Concern process in the Northern Ireland Assembly have been laid before both Houses of Parliament, in accordance with the commitment in Annex A of the New Decade, New Approach Agreement 2020, published on 8 January 2020,to lay such reports every six months.

Viscount Younger of Leckie: The second report on the operation of the Petition of Concern process was published on 12 January 2021. It recorded that no Petitions of Concern have been lodged in respect of any motion in the Assembly since the previous report on 16 July 2020, and indeed, since the Executive was formed on 11 January 2020. The next report will deal with the period from 10 January 2021 to 11 July 2021.

Northern Ireland Government

Lord Caine: To ask Her Majesty's Government what outstanding legislative commitments they have for Northern Ireland in respect of the New Decade, New Approach Agreement 2020, published on 8 January 2020; and when they expect that these will be fulfilled.

Viscount Younger of Leckie: Good progress has been made in implementing the New Decade, New Approach deal, despite the huge challenge posed by the ongoing public health crisis. The UK Government has released over £555 million of the £2billion of funding agreed in the deal, and has delivered multiple commitments including appointing a Veterans Commissioner, launching the Shared History Fund as part of our programme to mark the centenary of Northern Ireland, and establishing the governance structures that underpin NDNA. On 24 February, the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland signed the Heads of Terms on the Derry/Londonderry and Strabane City Deal that will deliver tangible benefits to the North West and the whole of Northern Ireland. The UK Government is working to deliver the next tranche of our commitments, such as progressing legislation on the sustainability of the institutions and reforms to the Petition of Concern mechanism.

Department of Health and Social Care

Social Services: Consultation Papers

Lord Pendry: To ask Her Majesty's Government why the publication of the social care green paper has been delayed since March 2017; whether that paper remains a Government priority; if not, why not; and when they estimate that paper to be published.

Lord Bethell: During the pandemic, the Government’s priority for adult social care is to ensure that people get the care they need and are protected from COVID-19. We are committed to bringing forward a plan for social care to ensure that everyone is treated with dignity and respect and to find long term solutions for one of the biggest challenges we face as a society.

Hospitals: Coronavirus

Lord Hunt of Kings Heath: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further tothe report by the Healthcare Safety Investigation Branch COVID-19 transmission in hospitals:management of the risk – a prospective safety investigation, published in October 2020,what steps they are taking to provide clarity about national responsibilities, ownership and process for the development of national infection prevention and control guidance.

Lord Bethell: We will work with partners to develop a transparent process to co-ordinate the development, dissemination and implementation of national guidance across the healthcare system to minimise the risk of nosocomial transmission of COVID-19. This includes agreeing roles and responsibilities, a clear process and timescales with NHS England and NHS Improvement, Public Health England and other system partners for infection prevention and control guidance development or review at a national and system level.

Mental Health Services: Children and Young People

Baroness Bennett of Manor Castle: To ask Her Majesty's Government what percentage of clinical staff of children and adolescent mental health services have specialist training in (1) assisting young victims of intimate partner violence, and (2) dealing with perpetrators of intimate partner violence.

Lord Bethell: The information is not held in the format requested. All healthcare staff must undertake mandatory safeguarding training that enable staff to effectively safeguard, protect and promote the welfare of children and young people.

Department for Education

Pupils: Coronavirus

The Lord Bishop of Durham: To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to include (1) social, (2) emotional, and (3) spiritual development, in the help being offered to primary school children to catch up on missed education as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic.

The Lord Bishop of Durham: To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to review how a pupil's progress in education is assessed; and what consideration they have given to including social, emotional and spiritual development alongside academic attainment.

The Lord Bishop of Durham: To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to review how a pupil's progress in education is assessed; and what consideration they have given to including social, emotional and spiritual development alongside academic attainment.

Baroness Berridge: We want to support all young people to be happy, healthy and safe, to equip them for adult life and to make a positive contribution to society. As a result, all schools must offer a curriculum which is balanced and broadly based, and which promotes the spiritual, moral, cultural, mental and physical development of pupils at the school and of society, and prepares pupils for the opportunities, responsibilities and experiences of later life.The statutory relationships and health education curriculum includes teaching about mental wellbeing. The topic covers how to talk about emotions accurately and sensitively, the benefits and importance of physical exercise and community activities on mental wellbeing and happiness, and where and how to seek support if they are worried about their own or someone else’s mental wellbeing. A significant contribution towards developing primary school children’s social, emotional and spiritual development is also made by school ethos, effective relationships throughout the school.The department has committed £1.7 billion additional funding to date to help pupils recover from the recent disruption they have experienced: £1 billion in June 2020, including a £650 million premium for schools, and a further £700 million in February 2021 to provide additional funding through a Recovery Premium, summer schools, expansion of tutoring programmes and early language support.This new one-off Recovery Premium for state primary and secondary schools, building on the Pupil Premium, will be provided to schools to use as they see best to support disadvantaged pupils. To help schools use this funding, the Education Endowment Foundation has published a support guide for schools with evidence-based approaches to catch up and a further school planning guide, which are available at: https://educationendowmentfoundation.org.uk/covid-19-resources/national-tutoring-programme/covid-19-support-guide-for-schools/#nav-covid-19-support-guide-for-schools1 and https://educationendowmentfoundation.org.uk/covid-19-resources/guide-to-supporting-schools-planning/.The guidance is clear that interventions, including those focused on aspects of education such as behaviour or pupils’ social and emotional needs, are likely to be important to support those who have fallen furthest behind. Summer schools can also be effective in improving wellbeing, including through providing a mix of enrichment activities alongside academic content.We have commissioned a mixed-methods research study that will examine schools’ recovery approaches to lost time in education as a result of COVID-19. This research will deliver an understanding of how schools are assessing the scale of any attainment loss, how the catch-up funding is being used, and the approaches schools are taking to catch pupils up – alongside any barriers/success factors to these approaches. The study will also assess how schools are helping pupils recover from any wellbeing or behavioural loss that may have occurred as a result of the COVID-19 outbreak.To provide further support during the autumn and spring terms, the department has worked with our partners, the Department of Health and Social Care, Health Education England, Public Health England and key voluntary sector organisations, to launch Wellbeing for Education Return. This project, backed by £8 million, will train local experts to provide additional training, advice and resources to schools and colleges to help support pupil and student wellbeing, resilience and recovery.

Schools: Counselling

Baroness Bennett of Manor Castle: To ask Her Majesty's Government what percentage of counsellors in schools have specialist training in (1) assisting young victims of intimate partner violence, and (2) dealing with perpetrators of intimate partner violence.

Baroness Berridge: The Department for Education does not collect data on the specialist training of counsellors working in schools. It is up to schools decide what support to offer to pupils, depending on their circumstances. To support the provision of counselling support in schools, the Department published a blueprint for school counselling services.  This provides schools with practical, evidence based advice, informed by schools and counselling experts, on how to deliver high quality school based counselling and is available here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/counselling-in-schools.The guidance reflects the importance of using qualified and experienced counsellors and strongly advises that counsellors should have a diploma and be on an Accredited Voluntary Register. The precise qualifications held will depend on the role being carried out by the counsellor and how what they do fits with wider school support.Headteachers and governing bodies are responsible for making decisions about how best to educate staff on their school’s responsibilities for safeguarding and child protection. All staff should undergo safeguarding and child protection training. This training should be in line with advice from the local three safeguarding partners, considering the specific needs of individual schools. In addition, designated safeguarding leads have a duty to ensure each member of staff has access to and understands the school’s child protection and procedures.Schools should consider reflecting domestic abuse in this training. The ‘Keeping Children Safe in Education’ statutory guidance also makes it clear that if a child has been harmed or is at risk of harm a referral should be made to children’s social care immediately and, if appropriate, the police. The guidance includes an annex providing additional information on specific types of harm and abuse and additional information for staff on identifying and responding to domestic abuse. The guidance sets out that all schools should have an effective child protection policy.The founders of Operation Encompass, an information sharing, safeguarding initiative between police and schools, have set up a teachers’ helpline to assist staff in educational settings to support children who may be experiencing domestic abuse. Currently funded by the Home Office, with contribution from the Department for Education, the helpline is available weekdays from 8am to 1pm during term-time. It is manned by educational psychologists who can offer support and guidance to teachers, to help them to better understand the effect of domestic abuse on a child and to discuss strategies to help support the child during the school day. Further information about the helpline and resources for teachers are available here: https://www.operationencompass.org/school-participation/resources-for-teachers.

Languages: Education

Baroness Coussins: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of (1) the effectiveness, and (2) the impact of, Modern Foreign Language Hubs; and if no such assessment has been made,(a) whether they plan to conduct such an assessment, and (b) if so, when.

Baroness Berridge: The National Centre for Excellence for Language Pedagogy (NCELP) programme was established with its main aims being to provide support to secondary schools to improve languages teaching at Key Stages 3 and 4, and to align modern foreign language (MFL) teaching with the recommendations of the Teaching Schools Council’s 2016 MFL Pedagogy Review. This was done so that in pilot schools more pupils will take up GCSEs in MFLs, and schools are enabled to achieve sustainable numbers and group sizes. Key performance indicators (KPIs) were agreed between NCELP and the department which link to these objectives.As a consequence of school closures over the last year, and NCELP diverting much of its resource to assist the Oak National Academy by developing and recording Key Stage 3 lessons in French, German and Spanish, we have deferred our assessment of performance against KPIs until after December 2021. However, the information gathered to date shows that:92.6% of all teachers taking part in the pilot reported in September 2020 that they were confident in delivering the MFL pedagogical approach as described in the 2016 MFL Pedagogy Review produced by the Teaching Schools Council; andUptake of MFL GCSEs in the participating schools has increased by 8.2 percentage points between 2018 and 2020.In the meantime, NCELP is on course to have completed work developing online resources for teaching and testing in French, German and Spanish in Key Stage 3 by December 2021, which are available free of charge for all MFL teachers at: https://resources.ncelp.org.

Armed Forces: Cadets

Baroness Garden of Frognal: To ask Her Majesty's Government how many state-funded schools have cadet forces.

Baroness Garden of Frognal: To ask Her Majesty's Government how many school teachers are involved as cadet staff and instructors in state-funded schools.

Baroness Garden of Frognal: To ask Her Majesty's Government how many school teachers are involved as cadet staff and instructors in state-funded schools.

Baroness Garden of Frognal: To ask Her Majesty's Government what contribution the Department for Education makes towards school cadet forces.

Baroness Garden of Frognal: To ask Her Majesty's Government what contribution the Department for Education makes towards school cadet forces.

Baroness Garden of Frognal: To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to promote the resumption of in-person cadet force activity.

Baroness Garden of Frognal: To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to promote the resumption of in-person cadet force activity.

Baroness Berridge: There are a total of 319 state funded schools in the UK that have a cadet unit. The Department does not collect data on the number of teachers that are cadet force adult volunteers or instructors in these schools. Cadets are funded through the Ministry of Defence and the Department supports this with co-chairmanship of the cadet expansion steering group and through its joint cadet expansion team that works closely with colleagues within Ministry of Defence. Several schools have continued cadet activities through virtual activities and remote education. Outdoor cadet activity can resume from March 8 within school grounds. It will be up to individual schools to undertake appropriate risk assessment to resume such activities in a COVID-19 secure manner. The Department recognises the significant benefits that cadet units in schools bring, for young people, schools, and local communities and that they can play an important part in catchup and recovery activity for many young people.

Ministry of Justice

Prisons: Body Searches

Lord Blencathra: To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have, if any, to allow female prisoners to be searched by officers who have transitioned to female, or those who have indicated that they identify as female.

Lord Wolfson of Tredegar: The national policy on the searching of prisoners (PSI 07/2016 – Searching of the Person) is currently under review and a revised version is intended to be published later this year. The updated policy will include direction on transgender staff conducting searches. This will consider the position of staff with or without a Gender Recognition Certificate (GRC). In reviewing the policy, Her Majesty’s Prison and Probation Service (HMPPS) has consulted with the Government’s Legal Department and HMPPS Equalities Team. The new policy will be compliant with the Equality Act 2010, Gender Recognition Act 2004 and the European Convention of Human Rights.

Department for International Trade

Trade Agreements

Lord Grocott: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Grimstone of Boscobel on 22 February (HL13173), whether they will now answer the question put, namely, further to the UK's departure from the EU, with which countries they have signed continuity trade agreements.

Lord Grimstone of Boscobel: We have secured trade agreements with 65 countries, plus the EU, covering £890 billion of trade in 2019, equivalent to 63% of the United Kingdom’s total trade.On 2nd March, HM Government signed a Trade Partnership Agreement with Ghana.Some countries with which we have signed agreements have not been able to bring the agreement into effect or have not been able to do so fully. They are in the process of completing the final necessary steps to allow the agreements to enter into effect fully. This is the case for Canada, Jordan and Mexico.We have set out on GOV.UK the signed agreements that entered into effect on 1st January and have published advice for those agreements that are not in place fully. The link can be found here: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/uk-trade-agreements-with-non-eu-countries.

Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office

Armed Conflict: Explosives

Baroness Hodgson of Abinger: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the international political declaration to avoid the use of explosive weapons in populated areas; and whether they plan to endorse it.

Baroness Hodgson of Abinger: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they plan to make representations to other governments to encourage them to sign the international political declaration to avoid the use of explosive weapons in populated areas.

Baroness Hodgson of Abinger: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they plan to make representations to other governments to encourage them to sign the international political declaration to avoid the use of explosive weapons in populated areas.

Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon: The political declaration can best protect civilians through the promotion of International Humanitarian Law and the sharing of best practice. The UK will continue to engage fully with the process and will take a view on endorsement as well as the merit of making representations to other governments once the declaration's final form is known.

Marine Protected Areas: South Atlantic Ocean

Lord Jones of Cheltenham: To ask Her Majesty's Government how much has been spent as part of the Blue Belt programme on each of the South Atlantic MarineProtected Areas; and what has been achieved through that funding so far.

Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon: The Blue Belt programme supports the UK Overseas Territories to enhance marine protection in their waters. Protection has now been put in place across more than 4 million km of ocean around the Overseas Territories. The programme has been supported by nearly £25m to date. Of this, around £3.7m has been spent specifically on St Helena, around £3m on Tristan da Cunha, and around £2.6m on Ascension. The programme has supported the three South Atlantic Overseas Territories to design and designate marine protection strategies for their waters, and to put the required legislation and management plans in place, with ongoing scientific monitoring and enforcement. Further details on the programme achievements can be found here: https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/934959/Blue_Belt_Programme_2016_to_2020_programme_highlights_brochure.pdf

Palestinians: Textbooks

Baroness Deech: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the decision by the governments of Canada and Australia to investigate their contributions to the United Nations Relief and Works Agency because of its reported use of inciteful material in educational textbooks; and what plans they have toestablish their own investigation.

Baroness Deech: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessmentthey havemade of the effectiveness of their Memorandum of Understanding with the Palestinian Authority, following the publication of the report by IMPACT-se Review of UNRWA-Produced Study Materials in the Palestinian Territories, published in January, which found thereported use of inciteful material in educational textbooks used by the United Nations Relief and Works Agency in Gaza Strip and West Bank schools.

Baroness Deech: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessmentthey havemade of the effectiveness of their Memorandum of Understanding with the Palestinian Authority, following the publication of the report by IMPACT-se Review of UNRWA-Produced Study Materials in the Palestinian Territories, published in January, which found thereported use of inciteful material in educational textbooks used by the United Nations Relief and Works Agency in Gaza Strip and West Bank schools.

Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon: We are aware of the IMPACT-se report and have contacted United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) regarding this issue. We understand that once the issue was identified, UNRWA introduced additional quality assurance processes and will continue to develop new systems to ensure lessons taught by UNRWA are in line with UN values. The UK Government strongly condemns all forms of violence and incitement to violence and will continue to monitor UNRWA's implementation of its curriculum framework and self-learning materials to ensure lessons taught by UNRWA are in line with UN values. We use a variety of tools to monitor the UNRWA performance and ensure it continues to deliver quality services including via programme monitoring and annual assessments. We have a regular dialogue with both the Palestinian Authority and the Government of Israel in which we reiterate the need for both sides to prepare their populations for peaceful coexistence, including by promoting a more positive portrayal of one another to contribute to building the conditions needed for peace.

West Bank: Demolition

Baroness Hussein-Ece: To ask Her Majesty's Government what representations they have made to the government of Israel about reports of the (1) attempted removal, and (2) confiscation of property, of the residents of Khirbet Humsahin by that government.

Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon: The Minister of State for the Middle East and North Africa called on Israel to stop demolitions in Humsa Al Baqai'a on 5 February 2021. The UK Ambassador joined the Ambassadors of European states on 25 February in a meeting with Israeli Authorities, urging the Government of Israel to cease demolitions and allow access of humanitarian support to the community in Humsa Al Baqai'a. At the UN Security Council on 26 February, the UK Permanent Representative called on Israel to allow the delivery of emergency humanitarian aid for those who have had their homes demolished or confiscated. We also joined European UN Security Council members in delivering a specific statement on this issue following the Middle East Peace Process session. Officials from the British Consulate General Jerusalem visited Humsa Al-Baqai'a on 6 November to reiterate UK support for the community.

Occupied Territories: International Criminal Court

Lord Blencathra: To ask Her Majesty's Government what action they intend to take in response to the ruling by the International Criminal Court on 5 February that it has territorial jurisdiction over the West Bank, Gaza and East Jerusalem.

Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon: We respect the independence of the ICC, and we expect it to exercise due prosecutorial and judicial discipline.

St Helena: Capital Investment

Lord Jones of Cheltenham: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the report by the government of St Helena Strategic Plan for the SHG Capital Programme 2020-2030, published on 12 May; and what plans they have to draw up a newcompactto change theirrelationship with that government from a donor-recipient to a development partnership.

Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon: The St Helena Strategic Plan for the St Helena Government's Capital Programme 2020-2030 has helped shape UK Government's funding of a multiyear capital investment programme. The UK Government continues to work with St Helena to build a strong a partnership this including: jointly agreeing priority capital investments; support with governance reform and continued COVID 19 support which includes ongoing deliveries of personal protective equipment, testing equipment and a supply of vaccines for the adult population.

North Korea: Prisons

Lord Alton of Liverpool: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of reports that the government of North Korea has orderedthe capacity of its prison camps to be expanded.

Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon: The UK is deeply concerned about the appalling human rights situation in the DPRK. We are aware of reports that the North Korean government has ordered the expansion of political prison camps in the country. We are unable to verify this activity but the UK remains clear that the DPRK must address the many reports of serious and wide-ranging human rights violations in North Korea, including the arbitrary detention of its citizens. That is why in July 2020, the UK designated two DPRK entities through the Global Human Rights (GHR) sanctions regime, including the Ministry of State Security Bureau 7 and Ministry of People's Security Correctional Bureau, which together are responsible for the country's notorious prison camp system. The UK continues to urge improvements in the DPRK human rights situation, and regularly raises these concerns, including on prison camps, in international fora and directly with the DPRK authorities.

Kashmir: Diplomatic Service

Viscount Waverley: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether a member of the British High Commission accompanied the reported "guided tours" of Kashmir given to envoys by the government of India; and if so, what conclusions were drawn.

Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon: We are aware of the diplomatic visit to India-administered Kashmir that was organised by the Government of India in the week commencing 15 February 2021. The UK did not participate in this visit. We continue to work closely with the Indian authorities to identify the best opportunity for British High Commission representatives to visit Kashmir.

St Helena: Overseas Aid

Lord Jones of Cheltenham: To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to assist the government of St Helena to improve its economy.

Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon: The UK Government continues to provide funding for a range of activities that assists St Helena Government improve the local economy. UK Government's funding makes up over 70% of St Helena's budget and therefore has a significant impact on the economy and local revenues generated. The UK Government is also funding infrastructure projects in St Helena under an Economic Development Investment Programme (EDIP) to support the island's economic development and improve opportunities for the local private sector. Current projects include the development of a container port at Rupert's Bay. This year, the UK Government provided an additional funding to St Helena's budget Government to protect the economy from the impacts of COVID 19.

Coronavirus: Vaccination

The Lord Bishop of Winchester: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the COVAX Facility's ability to provide (1) timely, (2) equitable, and (3) universal, access to COVID-19 vaccines for developing countries; and what plans they have to work with other countries to coordinate the relaxation of intellectual property protections for COVID-19 pharmaceutical technology to allow for such access.

Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon: The UK assesses that COVAX is on track to deliver its targets. Deliveries of vaccines have now begun, and COVAX's success in negotiating deals with manufacturers also means it is making good progress in securing and delivering its goal of at least 2 billion doses in 2021, including at least 1.3 billion for up to 92 low- and middle-income countries. The UK regularly engages stakeholders on the global distribution of COVID-19 vaccines, participating in COVAX decision-making bodies through its governance mechanisms, including a seat on the Gavi Board. The UK is also a founding member of the Facilitation Council of the Access to Covid-19 Tools (ACT) Accelerator, a coalition of leading international organisations to accelerate development and access to COVID-19 vaccines, treatments, and diagnostics.Considering the evidence available, we do not believe that the relaxation of intellectual property (IP) rights would be an effective measure to address the multiple factors on which access to medicines depends. The existing IP system has mobilised research and development to deliver new medicines and technologies to detect, prevent, and treat COVID-19.

Ethiopia: Eritrea

Lord Alton of Liverpool: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the reports thatthe government of Ethiopia has transferred military equipment and money to the government of Eritrea in exchange for the engagement of Eritrean soldiers in Tigray.

Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon: We are concerned by involvement of Eritrean forces in hostilities throughout the Tigray region of Ethiopia and the growing weight of credible evidence of their involvement in human rights violations. The Minister for Africa has called for their immediate withdrawal, as they are fuelling the conflict. However, we are unable to verify reports that this includes the transfer of military equipment and money by the Government of Ethiopia to the Government of Eritrea. We have raised our concerns with Ministers in both governments, making clear the overriding need to protect civilians and adhere to international law and international human rights law.

Eritrea: Refugees

Lord Alton of Liverpool: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of reports (1) that refugee camps in Tigray have been destroyed, (2) that Eritrean refugees are missing as a result, and (3) that Eritrean refugees have beenforcibly repatriated to Eritrea.

Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon: The UK condemns the destruction of the Hitsats and Shimbella refugee camps in Tigray and calls for urgent assistance to those refugees displaced as a result. We are also concerned at reports that Eritrean troops entered Ethiopian refugee camps in Tigray and forced a number of refugees to return to Eritrea. If proven, this would be a serious violation of the 1951 Refugee Convention. Alleged violations of international law must be investigated as a means to promote respect for legal instruments and to prevent future violations, including as necessary through international criminal tribunals.The British Ambassador in Eritrea raised these questions with the Eritrean Foreign Minister in December 2020, who denied that Eritrean forces had forcibly returned Eritrean refugees to Eritrea. We are extremely concerned that humanitarian agencies, including the UN High Commission for Refugees (UNHCR), do not have access to refugee camps in Tigray, meaning our understanding of the humanitarian and protection context in camps and refugee hosting areas is limited. It is the responsibility of the host state to ensure refugees are protected and are not subjected to forcible return. This was acknowledged by the Government of Ethiopia when we raised the matter.

Overseas Aid

Baroness Jay of Paddington: To ask Her Majesty's Government what role they see for (1) UK and other international volunteers, and (2) the mobilisation of community and national volunteers within ODA-recipient countries, in the delivery of the UK’s development goals.

Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon: The UK Government understands the unique contribution volunteers can make to sustainable development, including the FCDO's seven priority areas. During the Covid-19 response, our Volunteering for Development (V4D) programme has demonstrated the utility of local community and national volunteers, who can mobilise as first responders even where national and international travel is restricted.The UK Government was pleased to fund the Global Standard for Volunteering, launched in 2019, which sets a useful benchmark for how volunteers can be deployed in a responsible, effective and safe way.

Overseas Aid: Voluntary Organisations

Baroness Jay of Paddington: To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to deliver the next phase of the Volunteering for Development programme.

Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon: The impact of the global pandemic on the UK economy has forced us to take the tough but necessary decision to temporarily reduce our aid budget. We are now working through the implications of these changes for individual programmes, including for the Volunteering for Development grant. No decisions have yet been made.

Sri Lanka: War Crimes

Lord Naseby: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they have supplied any (1) redacted, or (2) unredacted, copies of despatches written by Lieutenant Colonel Gash, the former defence attaché of the British High Commission in Sri Lanka about events in that country between 1 January and 18 May 2009 relating to the civil war to (a) the UK representative in the Chair of the UN Core Group on Sri Lanka, and (b) to the other country representatives on the UN Core Group on Sri Lanka.

Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon: The UK Government has not received a request from any UN Human Rights Council mechanism for copies of despatches written by the former defence attaché Lieutenant Colonel Gash, and has no plans to provide any.

Myanmar: Arms Trade

Baroness Cox: To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to advocate for a global arms embargo on the military regime in Myanmar.

Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon: The UK is a longstanding supporter of an arms embargo on Myanmar. We are clear that no one should sell arms to the Myanmar military. The UK played a key role in securing and strengthening an EU arms embargo on Myanmar following the 2017 Rohingya crisis. Since we left the EU we have transitioned this into domestic law. The UK autonomous Myanmar sanctions regulations prohibit the provision of military related services, including the provision of technical assistance, to or for the benefit of the Tatmadaw. We will work closely with partners to put pressure on those who sell arms to Myanmar.

International Citizen Service

Baroness Jay of Paddington: To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to replace the International Citizen Service programme.

Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon: The safety of volunteers is the FCDO's first priority. In response to the emerging pandemic, in March 2020 we suspended all International Citizen Service (ICS) placements and successfully returned all volunteers home.We will continue to monitor the risks of overseas placements and place the wellbeing of volunteers at the heart of any future decisions on ICS or equivalent youth volunteering schemes.

Sri Lanka: War Crimes

Lord Naseby: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they notified the UN Human Rights Council about the existence of despatches written by Lieutenant Colonel Gash, the former defence attaché of the British High Commission in Sri Lanka about events in that country between 1 January and 18 May 2009 relating to the civil war; and if so, when.

Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon: The UK Government has not received a request from any UN Human Rights Council mechanism for copies of despatches written by the former defence attaché Lieutenant Colonel Gash, and has no plans to provide any.

Iraq: Kurds

The Lord Bishop of Worcester: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the security situation in Iraqi Kurdistan following the mortar attack in Erbil on 15 February; and what assistance they are providing to the Kurdistan Regional Government (1) to investigate, and (2) to hold accountable, those responsible for the attack.

Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon: We recognise the security threat against Western interests posed by militia groups seeking to sow instability across Iraq, including Iraqi Kurdistan. Although a militia group claimed responsibility for the attack, we have committed to supporting the Kurdistan Regional Government and the Government of Iraq in investigating the attack and holding accountable those responsible.

Turkey: Sanctions

Lord Hylton: To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to impose targeted sanctions against (1) ministers of the government of Turkey, and (2) commanders of the Turkish Armed Forces,for any breaches of international law.

Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon: We do not speculate about possible future sanctions designations. We regularly raise human rights concerns with the Turkish government at Ministerial and senior official level. We will continue to encourage Turkey to adopt reforms, such as the next phase of the current reform process aimed at strengthening the role of the judiciary, and to sustain democracy, respect the rule of law and protect fundamental freedoms, in line with its international commitments.

Afghanistan: Politics and Government

Baroness Kennedy of Cradley: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the (1) economic, (2) humanitarian, and (3) political, situation in Afghanistan.

Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon: Afghanistan continues to require support from international donors. Low economic growth has been compounded by the effects of Covid-19. In 2019/20, 15.6 million Afghans were living below the national poverty line. At the 2020 Geneva Conference, the UK committed to continuing to support Afghanistan's development. The humanitarian situation is concerning due to the high rate of poverty, internal displacement and civilian casualties from the continued conflict. 16.9 million people face acute food insecurity. In 2020-21, the UK is on course to provide up to £59.6 million in humanitarian assistance to help over two million people. UK Aid and development projects have helped lift life expectancy from 50 years in 1990 to 64 in 2018 and there are 8.2 million more children in school since 2002. Girls, who did not attend school pre-2001, now make up 39% of children enrolled.Only a negotiated and inclusive political settlement between Afghans will bring a sustainable end to conflict. The UK supports negotiations between the Afghan Government and the Taliban. However, the high levels of violence are deeply concerning, especially targeted attacks on civilians. It is vital that there is a reduction in violence, leading to a comprehensive ceasefire, and meaningful engagement in a political process that can deliver the peace that Afghans want and deserve.

Ethiopia: Humanitarian Aid

Lord Alton of Liverpool: To ask Her Majesty's Government, what assessment they have made of the decision by the EU to suspend budget support to the government of Ethiopia whilst humanitarian aid workers are unable to access Tigray; and in view of any such assessment, what plans they have to suspend the provision of Official Development Assistance tothat government.

Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon: We note and understand the decision by the EU to suspend budget support. The UK does not provide general budget support to the Government of Ethiopia. UK Overseas Development Assistance provided to the Government of Ethiopia in the form of financial aid supports the delivery of specific development results; and we track results to ensure our programmes are delivering these life-changing results for Ethiopians in desperate need. UK bilateral ODA spend for Ethiopia in 20/21 is £237m. We work closely with the Government of Ethiopia to ensure and monitor that aid is provided impartially and serves to improve the conditions of intended beneficiaries. We are keeping the provision of aid to Ethiopia under constant review.

Ethiopia: Peace Negotiations

Lord Alton of Liverpool: To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to promote the participation of the government of Ethiopia and the Tigray state authorities in peace talks.

Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon: We have, and will continue to advocate that a political process is essential to bring a full end to fighting and a sustainable settlement for Tigray. We have consistently urged all parties to end the conflict, prioritise the protection of civilians and allow unfettered humanitarian access. The Foreign Secretary raised these points when he met with Prime Minister Abiy on 22 January and also pressed for a political dialogue to bring a lasting peace to Tigray. The Minister for Africa also pressed for political dialogue to end the conflict when he spoke with the Ethiopian Ambassador on 24 February.

Religious Freedom

The Lord Bishop of Worcester: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the International Religious Freedom or Belief Alliance established by the government of the United States.

Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon: The UK is a founder and active member of the International Religious Freedom or Belief Alliance ('Alliance'), which was established in February 2020.The Alliance is a network of countries committed to the promotion and protection of freedom of religion or belief (FoRB). As the Minister of State response for Human Rights, I represented the UK at the first Ministers' Forum of the Alliance in November 2020. Following her appointment in December 2020, the Prime Minister's Special Envoy for FoRB, Fiona Bruce MP, represents the UK at meetings of the Alliance. We use our membership to coordinate advocacy with other states to raise awareness of cases of particular concern and advocate for the rights of individuals being discriminated against or persecuted for their faith or belief. Since its launch, the Alliance has increased its membership from 27 to 32 countries. In August 2020, the UK joined a statement (https://www.state.gov/covid-19-and-religious-minorities-pandemic-statement/) by the Alliance which recognised the impact of Covid-19 on minority and religious belief communities and called for the full respect for FoRB during the pandemic.

Myanmar: Human Rights

The Lord Bishop of Worcester: To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to convene a Special Session of the United Nations Human Rights Council to address the human rights situation in Myanmar.

Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon: The UK worked quickly after the coup, in conjunction with the EU, to convene a Special Session of the Human Rights Council on 12 February. We secured a resolution, agreed by consensus, which called for the immediate and unconditional release of all persons arbitrarily detained in Myanmar, and the lifting of the state of emergency. During this session, the UK read a statement submitted by elected Myanmar MPs, calling for support and an investigation into human rights violations.As a champion of the rules based international order, and democratic government, we are driving the international response, including in our role as President of both the G7 and UNSC, urging the military to immediately hand back power to the Government that was democratically elected in November 2020.

Cyprus: Politics and Government

Lord Balfe: To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to support the UN-led settlement talks between Greek and Turkish Cypriot leaders; and what assessment they have made of the impact of the UK'sdeparture from the EU on their role in those talks.

Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon: A Cyprus Settlement remains key to resolving wider tensions in the region. We are supportive of the UN Secretary General's efforts and the proposal of the informal meeting between the parties ("5+UN"). The UK is actively engaging with the parties ahead of the 5+UN meeting to urge them to approach the meeting in the spirit of flexibility and compromise. The Foreign Secretary delivered this message to both the Greek Cypriot leader and the Turkish Cypriot leader during his visit to Cyprus on 4 February, as well as in phone calls with the Turkish Foreign Minister and Greek Foreign Minister.Talks to reunite Cyprus are led by the Leaders of the two communities on-island and facilitated by the UN. The UK's role as a Guarantor Power under the 1960 Treaty of Guarantee is unrelated to our membership of the European Union.

Michael Smith

Lord Judd: To ask Her Majesty's Government what representations they have made tothe government of the United Arab Emirates about the (1) continued detention, and (2) treatment, of MichaelSmith; and when they last made any such representations.

Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon: The British Embassy Dubai sent a Note Verbale to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation of the United Arab Emirates (UAE) in August 2019 to clarify the terms of Mr Smith's continued detention. The FCDO Director of Consular Services also raised Mr Smith's detention in August 2019. We continue to speak with the local authorities regarding Mr Smith's welfare. Consular staff most recently spoke to the prison doctor on 28 January 2021.Consular staff work incredibly hard and do all they can to assist people who ask for our help. We offer tailored support based on an assessment of a person's specific needs and circumstances.

Religious Freedom

The Lord Bishop of Worcester: To ask Her Majesty's Government which countries are observers to the International Religious Freedom or Belief Alliance.

Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon: There are three categories of participation in the International Religious Freedom or Belief Alliance (Alliance): Members, Observers, and Friends. Members are states which have joined the Alliance and are invited to participate at Ministerial level during the annual Ministers' Forum; Observers are organisations, institutions, or entities which actively advance freedom of religion or belief globally: and, Friends are states or organisations that are considering joining or becoming observers.The current Members are Albania, Armenia, Australia, Austria, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Brazil, Bulgaria, Cameroon, Colombia, Croatia, Czech Republic, Democratic Republic of Congo, Denmark, Estonia, The Gambia, Georgia, Greece, Hungary, Israel, Kosovo, Latvia, Lithuania, Malta, the Netherlands, Poland, Senegal, Slovakia, Slovenia, Togo, Ukraine, the United Kingdom, and the United States; the current Friends are Canada, Japan, Norway, South Korea, and Sweden; the current Observers are the Sovereign Order of Malta and the UN Special Rapporteur for Freedom of Religion or Belief.

Global Fund to Fight Aids, Tuberculosis and Malaria

Baroness Sheehan: To ask Her Majesty's Government what support they provide (1) to the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis andMalaria, and (2) to countries with the highest number of cases of (a) AIDS, (b) tuberculosis, and (c) malaria.

Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon: The UK is currently the second largest donor to the Global Fund to fight AIDS, TB and Malaria. The Global Fund invests in over 100 countries, focusing on those countries with the highest disease burden and lowest ability to pay. Our contribution has helped to save 38 million lives since 2002 and aims to help save another 16 million in the next three years.Resilient health systems are at the core of global efforts to prevent and treat diseases. The UK is partnering with countries with some of the highest rates of AIDS, TB and malaria, to strengthen their health systems. The UK also supports the civil society HIV response through funding to the Robert Carr Fund to advocate for the rights and needs of the most marginalised groups affected by HIV, such as LGBTQ+ people and sex workers.Investing in research and development to better tackle the three diseases is also crucial. The UK's funding to TB and malaria research is helping to develop new tools to prevent, diagnose and treat these diseases, including drugs that fight the threat of drug resistance. Our world-class research investments include the first child-friendly antimalarial drug, which has saved more than 1 million lives.

Sudan: Refugees

The Lord Bishop of Coventry: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to reports that over 60,000 refugees have left Ethopia and entered Sudan following conflict in Darfur, what steps they are taking to ensure that (1) this does not destabilise Sudan, and (2) access to humanitarian aid is not affected.

Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon: The conflict in Tigray has had significant consequences and displaced hundreds of thousands of people, as well as impacting those that were already in need of humanitarian assistance in Ethiopia and Sudan. During his visit the Foreign Secretary commended Sudan's leaders for their efforts to press for a peaceful resolution to the situation and for their support for refugees entering Sudan from Ethiopia. The UK has provided an additional £5 million in funding to the UN Human Rights Council and the Danish Refugee Council to address urgent needs arising from the Tigray crisis in Sudan. We continue to engage the Government of Sudan and the region on the need to find a peaceful resolution.As a leading donor to Sudan, the UK is providing £125 million in economic and humanitarian assistance this financial year that is helping with stability and efforts to improve the lives of ordinary Sudanese. On 21 January the Foreign Secretary visited Sudan and reaffirmed the UK's commitment to support Sudan's democratic transition, including via £40 million funding to the Sudan Family Support Programme that will help with much needed economic reforms. The Foreign Secretary also visited a World Food Programme nutrition centre in Sudan, where he saw first-hand the vital role that UK aid is playing in helping those most in need of humanitarian assistance with the provision of life-saving food assistance to vulnerable communities.

Turkey: Russia

Lord Hylton: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the establishment of a Turkish–Russian joint monitoring centre in Aghdam.

Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon: The UK Government welcomes the 10 November peace deal, and is closely following developments including the establishment of the joint monitoring centre. We continue to urge the Governments of Armenia and Azerbaijan to engage with the OSCE Minsk Group to settle all outstanding matters; both Russia and Turkey are members of this group.

Armenia: Azerbaijan

Lord Sheikh: To ask Her Majesty's Government what representations they have made to the government of the Armenia about (1) recognising the territorial integrity of Azerbaijan, and (2) committing to regional cooperation in the South Caucasus.

Lord Sheikh: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the political situation in theSouth Caucasus.

Lord Sheikh: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the political situation in theSouth Caucasus.

Lord Sheikh: To ask Her Majesty's Government what representations they have made, or intend to make, to the government of Armenia (1) to maintain peace in the South Caucasus region, and (2) to ensure non-violent resolution of any future conflict.

Lord Sheikh: To ask Her Majesty's Government what representations they have made, or intend to make, to the government of Armenia (1) to maintain peace in the South Caucasus region, and (2) to ensure non-violent resolution of any future conflict.

Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon: The UK Government welcomes the 10 November peace deal including the implementation of many of the OSCE Minsk Group Basic Principles. During her recent visit to the region, the Minister for the European Neighbourhood and the Americas urged the Governments of Armenia and Azerbaijan to work together with the OSCE Minsk Group to settle all outstanding matters related to the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict and implement the remaining Basic Principles to ensure future regional stability and peace. The UK Government firmly supports the efforts of the OSCE Minsk Group to ensure regional stability in the South Caucasus in relation to the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict.

Convention for the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide

Lord Bourne of Aberystwyth: To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to promote internationally the application of the Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide.

Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon: The Government has made a number of political commitments to respond to alleged genocide and other atrocities. Where there is a risk of atrocities, we use diplomacy to highlight our concerns, including through the United Nations. As a party to the Convention on the Crime of Genocide, the UK is fully committed to the prevention and punishment of genocide as appropriate under the convention. We have co-sponsored resolutions on the Prevention of Genocide and on commemorating the fifteenth anniversary of the Responsibility to Protect populations from genocide and other mass atrocities at the 43rd and 44th sessions of the UN Human Rights Council.Since the majority of mass atrocities occur in and around conflict, the government believes a focus on conflict prevention is the best means to prevent most mass atrocities. Her Majesty's Government takes a consolidated, whole-of-government approach, using our diplomatic, development, defence, and law enforcement capabilities, to help pursue global peace and stability. We support work that seeks to address the root causes of conflict and drivers of instability, through tackling corruption, promoting good governance, improving access to security and justice, and furthering inclusive economic development. This approach aims to foster peaceful societies where atrocities are less likely to take place.

Myanmar: Overseas Aid

Baroness Cox: To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they have taken to respond to appeals for the urgent delivery of cross-border humanitarian assistance in Burma.

Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon: UK aid provides life-saving humanitarian assistance to around 460,000 conflict affected and displaced people in Myanmar and on the Thai border. We are concerned about the impact of recent fighting in Northern Shan and Karen State on civilian populations, and the increased vulnerability of internally displaced people as a result of COVID. We provide support through a range of partners including Danish Church Aid, The Border Consortium, Joint Strategy Team partners and Health Poverty Action to reach highly vulnerable people. We are closely monitoring the impact of the recent military coup including supply routes to ensure this support reaches those in most need.

Leah Sharib

Baroness Cox: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of reports that Leah Sharibu has been held captive by Boko Haram for three years.

Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon: The Government condemns the abduction of the Dapchi school girls in Nigeria in 2018 and the ongoing captivity of Leah Sharibu by Islamic State West Africa (ISWA). We are deeply concerned for the welfare of Leah and all those abducted by Boko Haram and ISWA. Officials at the British High Commission in Abuja raised Leah's case with the Nigerian authorities in February 2021. The Nigerian authorities have assured us that they remain committed to securing her return.The Government is providing a comprehensive package of support to Nigeria to help tackle the terrorist threat in the North East. We regularly raise the issues of insecurity and terrorism in Nigeria at the highest levels of the Nigerian Government, and will continue to use our public messaging to call for the release of Leah and all those abducted by terrorist groups in Nigeria.

Myanmar: Internally Displaced People

Baroness Cox: To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they have taken in response to the escalation in military offences in Karen State, Burma, which has resulted in the reported displacement of over 5,000 civilians.

Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon: The UK strongly condemns the repeated violations of the Nationwide Ceasefire Agreement by the Tatmadaw in Kayin State. We raised this at the Special Session of the Human Rights Council on 12 February. The UK is currently providing humanitarian support to the around 5,000 displaced civilians in Kayin State through our partners, The Border Consortium and Danish Church Aid. There are continuing access constraints because the Myanmar military is reportedly blocking access. UK aid supports 158,000 displaced, conflict affected people and refugees in the Southeast and Thai Border. We continue to monitor the situation closely.

Myanmar: Sanctions

Baroness Cox: To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to implement targeted sanctions against military-owned enterprises in Burma.

Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon: The UK is looking at a range of measures to ensure the democratic wishes of the people of Myanmar are respected. On 18 February, we announced the immediate imposition of asset freezes and travel bans against three members of the Myanmar military regime for their role in serious human rights violations during the coup. Prior to this, the UK had already imposed targeted sanctions on 16 individuals responsible for human rights violations in Myanmar. This includes the Commander-in-Chief and his Deputy.The military's influence is pervasive across Myanmar's economy and we have long been clear that Myanmar needs responsible investors. Her Majesty's Government works closely with UK businesses to ensure that they conduct thorough due diligence to try and avoid exposure to military businesses. We will continue to work closely with international partners on next steps, this includes exploring further sanctions.

Ethiopia: Overseas Aid

The Lord Bishop of Coventry: To ask Her Majesty's Government what measures are in place to ensure that Official Development Assistance-funded programmesare distributedby the government of Ethiopia without reference to the ethnicity of those accessing services.

Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon: The UK's Official Development Assistance (ODA) portfolio is consistent with legislation such as the Equality Act 2010, which includes the Public Sector Equality Duty (PSED). PSED ensures that the FCDO understands how different people will be affected by their activities and services are non-discriminatory and accessible to all. UK ODA provided to the Government of Ethiopia in the form of financial aid supports the delivery of specific development results. We work closely with the Government of Ethiopia to ensure and monitor that aid is provided impartially and serves to improve the conditions of intended beneficiaries, with no reference to the ethnicity of those accessing services. We are keeping the provision of aid to Ethiopia under constant review.

Latifa bint Mohammed al-Maktoum

Lord Birt: To ask Her Majesty's Government what discussions they have had with the government of India about the reported capture and detention of Sheikha Latifa bint Mohammed al-Maktoum, including reports of the involvement of Indian special forces.

Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon: We are aware of the allegations regarding the disappearance of Sheikha Latifa bint Mohammed al-Maktoum. The UK is not directly involved in this case but we will follow any developments closely.

Ministry of Defence

Type 26 Frigates: Procurement

Lord West of Spithead: To ask Her Majesty's Government when the first Type 26 frigate was ordered; when the first steel was cut; what is the planned launch date of that frigate; and when it is expected to be accepted into service by the Royal Navy.

Baroness Goldie: The £3.7 billion contract to manufacture the first batch of three Type 26 Frigates was awarded in June 2017 and steel cut on the first ship, HMS GLASGOW, in July 2017. I have interpreted the Noble Lord's use of the term 'launch date' to mean when HMS GLASGOW will be in the water. On current plans, HMS GLASGOW will be floated-up in BAE System's Govan shipyard in the second half of 2022 and then transferred to its Scotstoun shipyard. There, she will be fitted-out with complex weapons and other systems. After completion of sea trials and Royal Navy training and preparations, she is currently expected to enter service in 2027.

Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

Shellfish: Exports

Lord West of Spithead: To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to compensate people who (1) harvest, and (2) sell, oysters whose businesses have been affected by the EU restrictions on importing UK shellfish.

Lord Gardiner of Kimble: There is no scientific or technical justification for the European Commission banning the import of Live Bivalve Molluscs (LBMs), including oysters, from class B waters. We are seeking urgent resolution on the European Commission’s decision. In England funding is available through the Maritime and Fisheries Fund for applications from seafood businesses looking to adapt their businesses to new requirements. This includes oyster harvesters and sellers looking to adapt their business models. In England, this funding is delivered by the Marine Management Organisation. Seafood businesses in the rest of the UK should contact their fisheries administrations to see what development support may be available to them. The Seafood Response Scheme is not specifically focused at mitigating the issues resulting from EU restrictions on LBM trade. Oyster farming/harvesting businesses that meet the eligibility criteria will, however, be eligible to apply.

Shellfish: Consumption

Lord West of Spithead: To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to encourage consumption of British shellfish in (1) hospitals, (2) schools, and (3) other public institutions.

Lord Gardiner of Kimble: The Government will always champion greater consumption of our excellent British food and drink, including seafood, within public sector settings. The Government's public sector food procurement mandatory and best practice guidance, including the Balanced Scorecard and Government Buying Standards for Food (GBSF), encourages the procurement of UK seasonal and locally produced food. Defra will be consulting on a refreshed version of the GBSF this summer. We will be seeking views on how the standards could be used to promote even greater uptake of locally produced food by public procurers and their suppliers. Defra is also working closely with the Crown Commercial Service to develop the Future Food Framework which will create significant new opportunities for small businesses to contribute to regional public sector bodies. The trial will include a focus on local fisheries as one of the key food categories. The pilot is due to launch in the South West in 2022 with a national rollout planned for 2023. Defra is also partnering with Seafish (the public body that supports the UK seafood industry) to encourage greater domestic consumption of seafood, to support and enhance our domestic fishing industry. The Love Seafood campaign will run throughout this spring and will promote the wide range of fish and shellfish caught in UK waters.

Home Office

Asylum: Napier Barracks

Lord Roberts of Llandudno: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of (1) the living conditions of the former Napier barracks, and (2) whether those conditions would be suitable for use by the British Armed Forces.

Baroness Williams of Trafford: As required by law, we provide asylum seekers who would otherwise be destitute with accommodation which is safe, secure and fit-for-purpose, paid for by the taxpayer.We welcome independent scrutiny of our sites, processes and procedures; and routinely facilitate inspections from relevant bodies to assure ourselves of the ongoing safety and suitability of the accommodation and services we provide.The Independent Chief Inspector of Borders and Immigration announced an inspection of contingency asylum accommodation on 25 January 2021.The department acknowledges the ICIBI’s decision to publish on 8 March the initial findings from site visits to Napier Barracks and Penally.The ICIBI’s inspection report will be laid before Parliament in the usual way after the inspection has concluded. The Department will issue a formal response alongside the report as it is published on Gov.UK. It is not known when the final inspection report will be received but this is a matter for the ICIBI.An independent rapid review was also recently conducted to assure ourselves of the extensive COVID-19 protocols in place to safeguard the health and safety of asylum seekers during the pandemic. The Home Office is currently reviewing and acting upon the recommendations of the review.We continue to work closely with our provider and partners to identify opportunities for improvement, as we do across our entire accommodation estate.

Visas: Migrant Workers

Baroness Bull: To ask Her Majesty's Government why the Permitted Paid Engagement visa route limits a professional's stay in the UK to up to one month; and what plans they have to extend the duration of its validity to 90 days.

Baroness Williams of Trafford: The Permitted Paid Engagement visitor route allows professionals in several sectors, including the creative sector, to enter the UK for up to one month to undertake permitted paid engagements, where they have been invited by a UK-based organisation and without the need to apply through the sponsored work routes.Those wishing to undertake longer periods of engagement in the UK may use the T5 Creative concession, which allows non-visa nationals to enter the UK for up to three months without applying for a visa in advance, provided they have a Certificate of Sponsorship. For anyone wishing to remain in the UK for up to 12 months, the full T5 Creative route is also available.We will continue to keep our policy under close review, including through wide engagement and dialogue with stakeholders from a range of sectors.

Domestic Abuse

Baroness Bennett of Manor Castle: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the whether current statutory safeguarding provisions adequately (1)assist young victims of intimate partner violence, and (2) deal with perpetrators of intimate partner violence.

Baroness Williams of Trafford: (i) Young VictimsWe recently published an updated version of ‘Working Together to Safeguard Children 2018’. The guidance specifically references teenage relationship abuse as part of the statutory definition of domestic abuse. It also outlines the ‘assessment of risk outside the home’ which ensures that practitioners are alert to the risk of abuse for young people within their own intimate relationships.Further to this, the draft guidance that will accompany the Domestic Abuse bill covers abuse in teenage relationships. The guidance has been seen in draft by a wide range of sector representatives, who have provided feedback. The guidance is being finalised ahead of a formal consultation period in the spring.(ii) PerpetratorsThe Criminal Justice Act 2003 (“CJA 2003”) provides for the establishment of Multi-Agency Public Protection Arrangements (“MAPPA”) in each of the 42 criminal justice areas in England and Wales. These are designed to protect the public, including previous victims of crime, from serious harm by sexual and violent offenders. They require the local criminal justice agencies and other bodies dealing with offenders to work together in partnership in dealing with these offenders.MAPPA guidance states that under the Children Act 2004, the Responsible Authority and DTC agencies have a statutory duty to make arrangements for ensuring that ‘their functions are discharged having regard to the need to safeguard and promote the welfare of children’ and that ‘children should not be treated by MAPPA as ‘mini-adults’’.The draft Domestic Abuse Statutory Guidance which is due to be published following royal assent of the Bill also includes young people who perpetrate abuse.Young people perpetrating abuse in their relationships must be supported in an appropriate way that places emphasis on tackling the drivers of their behaviour. Court and responding agencies must take into account youth justice guidelines when responding to cases of teenage relationship abuse, avoid unnecessarily criminalising young people, and identify appropriate interventions to address behaviours that might constitute or lead to abuse. Relevant youth justice guidelines include:Case management guidance for Youth Offending TeamsStandards for children in the Youth Justice SystemCrown Prosecution Service guidance on youth offendersSentencing Council guidelines on sentencing children and young people

Asia Bibi

Lord Marlesford: To ask Her Majesty's Government why they did not offer Asia Bibi asylum in theUK.

Baroness Williams of Trafford: I am not able to provide specific information with regards to Asia Bibi’s case as it is a longstanding Government policy not to comment on individual cases. Departing from this policy may put individuals and their family members in danger.The UK has a proud record of providing protection for people who need it, in accordance with our obligations under the Refugee Convention and the European Convention on Human Rights. However, there is no provision within our Immigration Rules for someone to be allowed to travel to the UK to seek asylum or temporary refuge.Whilst we sympathise with people in many difficult situations around the world, we are not bound to consider asylum claims from the very large numbers of people overseas who might like to come here. Those who need international protection should claim asylum in the first safe country they reach – that is the fastest route to safety.

Fire Safety Bill

Lord Berkeley: To ask Her Majesty's Government what discussions they have had with (1) Her Majesty The Queen, (2) His Royal Highness ThePrince of Wales, or (3) their representatives, relating to their Consent to the Fire Safety Bill; what changes, if any, were made to the Bill as a result of any such discussions; and for what purpose were such changes made.

Lord Greenhalgh: Obtaining Queen’s Consent is a normal procedure before the introduction of Bills which may affect the Royal Estate. The rationale for seeking this for the Fire Safety Bill was that parts of the Royal Estate may need to have their fire risk assessments updated following the passage of the Bill. The Home Office sought this on 20 February 2020 and obtained Queen’s Consent on 9 March 2020.

Muslim Brotherhood Review

Lord Marlesford: To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have topublish in full the internal review of the Muslim Brotherhood commissioned in April 2014; what assessment they have made of the conclusions contained in the summary reportMuslim Brotherhood Review: Main Findings (HC 679), published in December 2015,that the Muslim Brotherhood represents a "revolutionary challenge towards established states" and has "been contrary to national interests and national security"; andwhat plans they have to undertake a furtherreview of the Muslim Brotherhood.

Baroness Williams of Trafford: There are no plans to publish the internal review into the Muslim Brotherhood. Our assessment of the Muslim Brotherhood remains as set out in the summary report published in December 2015.The UK Government continues to assess the Muslim Brotherhood’s activities when appropriate to ensure our position is based on the latest information available and we will consider action against the review’s commitments if and where legal thresholds are met.

Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government

Local Government: Cumbria

Lord Walney: To ask Her Majesty's Government which, if any, local authorities in Cumbria requested a delay to county council elections this year prior to the announcement of a delay in such elections to 2022.

Lord Greenhalgh: Cumbria County Council made a request to the Secretary of State to postpone its May 2021 local elections, following the Government’s Written Ministerial Statement of 12 October 2020 (UIN - HLWS496). As explained in the Explanatory Memorandum to the secondary legislation (SI 2021 No. 174) which was laid before Parliament on 24 February, the Government has decided to reschedule from May 2021 to May 2022 local elections to Carlisle City Council, Cumbria County Council, and South Lakeland District Council.

Liverpool City Council

Lord Storey: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the arrest of the Mayor of Liverpool in December 2020, what discussions they have had with local government officials about ensuring probity and confidence in the city's administration.

Lord Greenhalgh: Further to my answer on 23 December - UIN HL11323, Max Caller CBE continues to undertake his inspection of Liverpool City Council’s compliance with regard to its Best Value Duty in relation to the authority’s planning, highways, regeneration and property management functions and the strength of associated audit and governance arrangements. The Secretary of State has asked Max Caller to report his findings by 31 March 2021.

Mayors

Lord Heseltine: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the devolution of powers to the Mayor of Greater Manchester, which powers, if any, have beendevolved to other Metro Mayors since December 2019.

Lord Greenhalgh: In January 2020, Sheffield City Region Combined Authority took the decision to progress their stalled devolution deal, previously agreed in 2015. In July 2020 The Barnsley, Doncaster, Rotherham and Sheffield Combined Authority (Functions and Amendment) Order 2020 was approved by Parliament and made, conferring on the Combined Authority the powers agreed in this deal, including powers on planning, education and transport powers.In March 2020, a West Yorkshire devolution deal was agreed and announced by the Chancellor at Budget. In January 2021 The West Yorkshire Combined Authority (Election of Mayor and Functions) Order 2021 was approved by Parliament and made, establishing a directly elected Mayor for West Yorkshire to be first elected in May 2021, conferring on the Combined Authority powers on housing, regeneration, education and transport, and providing that the West Yorkshire Mayor will take on the functions of Police and Crime Commissioner for West Yorkshire.Full details on the powers conferred on these Combined Authorities and their mayors are set out in the explanatory memoranda.

Local Government: Cumbria

Lord Walney: To ask Her Majesty's Government what criteria they will use to assess local support in the public consultation on local government reorganisation in Cumbria, published on 22 February.

Lord Walney: To ask Her Majesty's Government what weighting system, if any, will be used to assess responses from different stakeholders to the public consultation on local government reorganisation in Cumbria.

Lord Walney: To ask Her Majesty's Government what weighting system, if any, will be used to assess responses from different stakeholders to the public consultation on local government reorganisation in Cumbria.

Lord Greenhalgh: The Government welcomes the views of all those interested in the proposals for local government reorganisation in Cumbria, including local residents, town and parish councils, businesses and the voluntary sector. Once the consultation is concluded, the Government will decide, subject to parliamentary approval, which, if any, proposals are to be implemented, with or without modification. In taking these decisions it will have regard to all the representations it has received, including those from the consultation, and all other relevant information available to it, and reach a balanced judgement assessing the proposals against criteria, including on local support which will be assessed in the round across the whole area of the proposal.

Cabinet Office

UK Trade with EU

Lord Taylor of Warwick: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the survey by the British Chamber of Commerce on Brexit, published on 11 February; and what plans they have to allow small businesses to write off additional customs costs as a result of the UK–EU Trade Cooperation Agreement, against their tax bill.

Lord Frost: The nature of our new relationship with the EU - outside the Single Market and Customs Union - does mean that there are practical and procedural changes that businesses need to adjust to.We continue to work closely with sectors across the economy and all parts of the UK to support businesses in adapting to our new trading relationship with the EU and to continue to successfully compete on the global stage. The Government is providing £20 million to support small and medium businesses in adjusting to new customs, rules of origin, and VAT rules when trading with the EU. Ministers across government have been speaking directly to hundreds of businesses large and small across the country, including through the Business Brexit Task Force to develop a shared vision and plan for the future.

Public Sector: Internet

Lord Shinkwin: To ask Her Majesty's Government what measures are in place to monitor the public sector’s compliance with the Public Sector Bodies (Websites and Mobile Applications) (No. 2) Accessibility Regulations 2018; and what have been the findings ofany compliance monitoring exercises so far.

Lord True: The Public Sector Bodies (Websites and Mobile Applications) Accessibility Regulations, came into force in September 2018. They aim to ensure public sector websites and mobile apps are accessible to all users. In May 2020, Government Digital Service (GDS) began monitoring a sample of public sector websites using a combination of automated and manual audits. GDS also monitors websites where complaints have been sent to the Equality Advisory and Support Service and the Equalities Commission for Northern Ireland. More information on how GDS monitors the accessibility of public sector organisations websites can be found here: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/public-sector-website-and-mobile-application-accessibility-monitoring GDS is creating an independent group of stakeholders consisting of organisations who represent the interests of users with a wide range of access needs to help aid GDS’s accessibility monitoring duty as well as ensuring that website users and the wider accessibility community’s views are heard.

Coronavirus: Death

Lord Marlesford: To ask Her Majesty's Government what proportion of the first 100,000 people to die as a result of COVID-19 died in (1) England, (2) Scotland, (3) Wales, and (4) Northern Ireland; how many of those died (a) in hospital, (b) in care homes,and (c) elsewhere; and how many of those were (i) over 80 years old, (ii) over 70 years old, (iii) under 50 years old, (iv) BAME, (v) male, and (vi) female.

Lord True: The information requested falls under the remit of the UK Statistics Authority. I have, therefore, asked the Authority to respond.Professor Sir Ian Diamond | National Statistician The Lord Marlesford DL House of LordsLondonSW1A 0PW 03 March 2021  Dear Lord Marlesford, As National Statistician and Chief Executive of the UK Statistics Authority, I am responding to your Parliamentary Question asking what proportion of the first 100,000 people to die as a result of COVID-19 died in (1) England, (2) Scotland, (3) Wales, and (4) Northern Ireland; how many of those died (a) in hospital, (b) in care homes, and (c) elsewhere; and how many of those were (i) over 80 years old, (ii) over 70 years old, (iii) under 50 years old, (iv) BAME, (v) male, and (vi) female (HL13602). The Office for National Statistics (ONS) publishes statistics on deaths in England and Wales and produces a weekly report[1] on provisional numbers of deaths involving COVID-19. Mortality statistics are compiled from information supplied when deaths are certified and registered as part of civil registration. National Records for Scotland[2] and the Northern Ireland Statistics and Research Agency[3] are responsible for publishing statistics on deaths registered in Scotland and Northern Ireland respectively. We cannot precisely organise deaths involving COVID-19 into the ‘first 100,000’ at this time. However, we have provided figures for deaths registered up to the end of Week 2 of 2021 (ending 15 January 2021) which is when deaths involving COVID-19 first passed 100,000 in total. Table 1 below provides the number of deaths involving COVID-19 in the UK, and the proportion of these in England, Wales, Scotland, and Northern Ireland. Table 2 provides the number of deaths involving COVID-19 by place of death in each UK country. Table 3 provides the number of deaths involving COVID by age group and sex. Please note that the UK totals in Table 3 are slightly different from Tables 1 and 2, as published data by age group and sex are only available for England and Wales combined (including non-residents) rather than England and Wales as individual countries. The ONS has published a report on ethnic contrasts in deaths involving COVID-19 in England and Wales[4]. Table 4 shows the number of deaths involving COVID-19 in England and Wales; data have been published for deaths that occurred (rather than were registered) between 2 March 2020 and 28 July 2020. Please note this data includes only deaths that could be linked to the 2011 Census, as this was necessary to obtain ethnic group data. Because the method of calculation is different, the numbers do not relate directly to those in Tables 1 to 3.  Yours sincerely,Professor Sir Ian Diamond   Table 1: Number and proportion of deaths involving COVID-19, weeks ending 13 March 2020 to 15 January 2021, England, Wales, Scotland, Northern Ireland [5][6][7][8][9]  -UKEnglandWalesScotland1Northern IrelandNumber of deaths involving COVID-19104,44688,9745,8847,4602,128% of UK total100.0%85.2%5.6%7.1%2.0%Source: ONS, NRS, and NISRA   Table 2: Number of deaths involving COVID-19, weeks ending 13 March 2020 to 15 January 2021 by place of occurrence, England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland [10][11]  Place of deathUKEnglandWalesScotland1Northern IrelandAll places of death104,44688,9745,8847,4602,128Home5,2564,376286459135Care home26,39321,6151,2672,869642Hospital70,79361,1014,2474,1161,329Other2,0041,882841622Source: ONS, NRS and NISRA   Table 3: Number of deaths involving COVID-19, weeks ending 13 March 2020 to 15 January 2021, by broad age group and sex, England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland SexAge groupUK total6England & Wales6ScotlandNorthern IrelandPeopleAll ages103,72094,1327,4602,128-Under 1 year3210-1-149900-15-441,0049414914-45-649,6158,777670168-65-7415,79814,3051,188305-75-8433,85530,6472,478730-85+43,43639,4513,074911Males All ages56,59651,6933,8311,072-Under 1 year2200-1-144400-15-44587554276-45-646,1885,65643399-65-7410,0369,119729188-75-8419,84818,0671,376405-85+19,93118,2911,266374FemalesAll ages47,12442,4393,6291,056-Under 1 year1010-1-145500-15-44417387228-45-643,4273,12123769-65-745,7625,186459117-75-8414,00712,5801,102325-85+23,50521,1601,808537Source: ONS, NRS and NISRA   Table 4: Number of deaths involving COVID-19 by ethnic group and sex, deaths occurring 2 March 2020 to 28 July 2020, England and Wales[12][13] Ethnic groupSexAged 9 to 64 yearsAged 65 to 110 yearsBangladeshiMale61112BangladeshiFemale1954Black AfricanMale159188Black AfricanFemale8596Black CaribbeanMale95514Black CaribbeanFemale67306ChineseMale1678ChineseFemale855IndianMale180525IndianFemale80357MixedMale29144MixedFemale3099OtherMale186351OtherFemale85226PakistaniMale119286PakistaniFemale75156WhiteMale1,93920,531WhiteFemale1,18418,201Source: ONS [1]https://www.ons.gov.uk/peoplepopulationandcommunity/birthsdeathsandmarriages/deaths/bulletins/deathsregisteredweeklyinenglandandwalesprovisional/latest[2]https://www.nrscotland.gov.uk/[3]https://www.nisra.gov.uk/[4]https://www.ons.gov.uk/peoplepopulationandcommunity/birthsdeathsandmarriages/deaths/articles/updatingethniccontrastsindeathsinvolvingthecoronaviruscovid19englandandwales/deathsoccurring2marchto28july2020[5] Weeks for Scotland run Monday to Sunday rather than Saturday to Friday, so Week 2 of 2021 is week ending 11th January 2021 rather than week ending 15 January 2021[6] Figures for individual countries exclude deaths of non-residents. Figures for “England and Wales” totals include non-residents of England and Wales; for this reason, UK totals in Table 3 differ from Tables 1 and 2.[7] Data in Tables 1, 3 and 3 are based on date a death was registered rather than occurred. Data in Table 4 are based on the date a death occurred, registered up to 24 August 2020. There is a delay between a death occurring and it being registered[8] All figures for 2020 and 2021 are provisional.[9] The International Classification of Diseases, Tenth Edition (ICD-10) definitions are as follows: coronavirus (COVID-19) (U07.1 and U07.2). We use the term “involving COVID-19” when referring to deaths that mentioned these ICD-10 codes anywhere on the death certificate, whether as the underlying cause of death or elsewhere.[10] Deaths at home are those at the usual residence of the deceased (according to the informant)‚ where this is not a communal establishment. Other Communal Establishments include (for example) prisons, student residences, and hotels. Elsewhere includes all places not covered above.[11] "Other" includes deaths in communal establishments other than hospitals and care homes, in hospices, and that occurred "elsewhere".[12]Data in Table 4 includes only death records that could be linked to the 2011 Census, to obtain ethnic group data.[13]The detailed composition of each ethnic group is available to download: https://www.ons.gov.uk/download/table?format=xlsx&uri=/peoplepopulationandcommunity/birthsdeathsandmarriages/deaths/articles/updatingethniccontrastsindeathsinvolvingthecoronaviruscovid19englandandwales/deathsoccurring2marchto28july2020/22f0c996.json

Elections

Baroness Bennett of Manor Castle: To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to widen consultation over how elections are run to include (1) independent representatives, and (2) parties with at least one MP.

Lord Rennard: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the reply byBaroness Evans of Bowes Park on 28 January (HL Deb col 1804), and the Written Answers fromLord True on 17 February (HL12832 and HL12833), what representations they received from members of political parties prior to the Minister of the Constitution’s letter of 22 January which stated the Government view that campaigning activity should distinguish between volunteer distribution of campaign leaflets and identical activity by people paid by commercial organisations; and whether they received representations on this issue from (1) Conservative Campaign Headquarters (CCHQ), or (2) people who may have been acting on CCHQ's behalf.

Lord Rennard: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the reply byBaroness Evans of Bowes Park on 28 January (HL Deb col 1804), and the Written Answers fromLord True on 17 February (HL12832 and HL12833), what representations they received from members of political parties prior to the Minister of the Constitution’s letter of 22 January which stated the Government view that campaigning activity should distinguish between volunteer distribution of campaign leaflets and identical activity by people paid by commercial organisations; and whether they received representations on this issue from (1) Conservative Campaign Headquarters (CCHQ), or (2) people who may have been acting on CCHQ's behalf.

Lord Rennard: To ask Her Majesty's Government what was the legal basis for the view set out in the Minister of the Constitution’s letter of 22 January distinguishing between volunteer distribution of campaign leaflets and identical activity by people paid by commercial organisations; what reference is made to this distinction in the COVID-19 regulations, and what assessment they have made of whether holding elections on 6 May with (1) this restriction, and (2) other restrictions related to the COVID-19 pandemic, will contribute to reduced turnout and campaign activity.

Lord Rennard: To ask Her Majesty's Government what was the legal basis for the view set out in the Minister of the Constitution’s letter of 22 January distinguishing between volunteer distribution of campaign leaflets and identical activity by people paid by commercial organisations; what reference is made to this distinction in the COVID-19 regulations, and what assessment they have made of whether holding elections on 6 May with (1) this restriction, and (2) other restrictions related to the COVID-19 pandemic, will contribute to reduced turnout and campaign activity.

Lord Rennard: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of whether sufficient information concerning elections and candidates can be obtained via (1) the internet, and (2) the media; and further to this, what assessment they have made of the reasons behind the significant level of spending of political parties on unsolicited literature delivered to voters prior to the 2019 general election.

Lord Rennard: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of whether sufficient information concerning elections and candidates can be obtained via (1) the internet, and (2) the media; and further to this, what assessment they have made of the reasons behind the significant level of spending of political parties on unsolicited literature delivered to voters prior to the 2019 general election.

Lord Rennard: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether it is still their aim to ensure that there is a level playing field in the conduct of election campaigns; what assessment they have made of whether this aim is achievable in elections scheduled for this May, in which the delivery of campaign literature by volunteers has been discouraged by the Government whilst the delivery of campaign literature by commercial organisations for political parties is not; and whether advice to party volunteers is consistent with that for party leaders making campaign visits across the country.

Lord Rennard: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether it is still their aim to ensure that there is a level playing field in the conduct of election campaigns; what assessment they have made of whether this aim is achievable in elections scheduled for this May, in which the delivery of campaign literature by volunteers has been discouraged by the Government whilst the delivery of campaign literature by commercial organisations for political parties is not; and whether advice to party volunteers is consistent with that for party leaders making campaign visits across the country.

Lord True: Democracy should not be cancelled because of covid. As outlined in my Written Ministerial Statement of 8 February 2021 (HLWS766), the Government has confirmed that the set of council, mayor and Police and Crime Commissioner elections scheduled for May will go ahead, and made a firm commitment that the Government will support the sector to deliver them. The Government has published a Delivery Plan for the May elections, setting out how the Government will support local elections teams to deliver effective polls that are covid-secure for voters and staff. The Medical Officers advised Ministers in drawing up this delivery plan. The Government has committed to further engage with political parties through the Parliamentary Parties Panel and the Local Government Association; we are committed to ensuring we take into consideration the views of independent candidates as effectively as possible. Campaigning is an essential part of democracy. Voters deserve to be well informed before going to the polls and there must be a level playing field for candidates. On 22 February the Prime Minister announced the Government’s roadmap out of lockdown and we have since published guidance on campaigning reflecting the updated COVID restrictions/guidance. The whole of England remains in a national lockdown and will do so until 29 March. The current restrictions do not support door-to-door campaigning or leafleting by individual campaigners. Leaving home to undertake leafleting increases the risk of unnecessary social interactions and viral transmission both during travel and on doorsteps. Campaigners should instead ensure leafleting is carried out through existing commercial delivery services, which are already operating and delivering during the national lockdown. Any spending on this which is incurred during a regulated period must count towards a candidate’s spending limit.From 8 March, individual activists will be able to campaign outdoors in a COVID-secure way. The rules will allow for individual campaigners to deliver leaflets and to engage with electors on their doorsteps - but they should always be socially distanced and not enter inside people’s homes.

Treasury

Corporation Tax: Tax Rates and Bands

Lord Myners: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the impact of 10 years' of reduction in the corporation tax rate on (1) economic growth, (2) productivity, (3) innovation, and (4) employment.

Lord Agnew of Oulton: The economic impacts of reductions in the rate of Corporation Tax since 2010 have been reflected in the OBR’s forecasts, and detailed in the OBR’s published Economic and Fiscal Outlooks as the rate had been reduced.

Self-employed: Coronavirus

Lord Taylor of Warwick: To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps theyintend to take to support self-employed workers to mitigate the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Lord Agnew of Oulton: The Government has announced that the Self-Employment Income Support Scheme (SEISS) will continue until September, with a fourth and fifth grant. This provides certainty to business as the economy reopens and means the SEISS continues to be one of the most generous income COVID support schemes for the self-employed in the world. Individuals will be able to qualify for the new grants based on their 2019-20 tax returns. This means that over 600,000 self-employed individuals may be newly eligible for the SEISS, including many new to self-employment in 2019-20. The fourth SEISS grant will be worth 80% of average trading profits. The fifth and final SEISS grant providing support in the summer will include a turnover test (similar to those in operation in other countries’ schemes) to ensure that the most generous support is targeted at those who most need it. Through this crisis, the Government will spend over £33billion supporting those in self-employment through the SEISS. Those ineligible for the SEISS may still be eligible for other elements of the support available. The temporary £20 per week increase to the Universal Credit standard allowance has been extended for six months, and the Government has decided to extend the suspension of the Minimum Income Floor for three months to the end of July 2021, so that where self-employed claimants' earnings have fallen significantly, their Universal Credit award will have increased to reflect their lower earnings. In addition to this, they may have access to other elements of the package, including Restart Grants, the Recovery Loan scheme, business rates relief, and other business support schemes.

Supply Teachers: Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme

Lord Storey: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether supply teachers who are registered to work with a number of different supply agencies canreceive payments through the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme; and if so, how.

Lord Agnew of Oulton: Where a supply teacher is supplied via an agency and paid through PAYE, they would be eligible to be furloughed and receive support through the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme provided that the remaining eligibility criteria are met. Furlough should be agreed between the agency, as the deemed employer, and the worker. It is advised that the need to furlough should be discussed with the end client involved. Supply teachers are eligible for the Coronavirus Job Retention scheme in the same way as other employees. If they hold multiple employment contracts, they are able to receive support from the scheme from multiple employers. Supply teachers can be furloughed by one employer and continue to work for another. If they are furloughed by more than one employer, they will receive separate payments from each employer. Each employer can claim up to 80% grant for the hours not worked by an employee, up to a maximum of £2,500 per month. The decision to furlough an employee, fully or flexibly, is entirely at the employer’s discretion. During this period of restricted pupil attendance, schools have remained open for vulnerable children and the children of key workers, and remote education has been in place for other pupils. Schools have continued to engage supply staff where they have been needed to support either face to face or remote education.

Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport

Coronavirus: Museums and Galleries

Lord Smith of Finsbury: To ask Her Majesty's Government why museums have been included in Step Three rather than Step Two in the roadmap to ease the restrictions in place to address the COVID-19 pandemic.

Baroness Barran: We seek to reopen outdoor elements of galleries and museums in Step 2, with indoor elements at these attractions opening at Step 3. This acknowledges the higher transmission risk posed by indoor settings. The design of the roadmap has been informed by the latest scientific evidence and seeks a balance between our key social and economic priorities, whilst preserving the health and safety of the country. The scientific evidence shows that opening too early or too quickly risks a further lockdown. The Chancellor announced in the 2021 Budget an additional £300 million to support theatres, museums and other cultural organisations in England through the Culture Recovery Fund. The Chancellor also set out that we will provide £90 million funding to support our government-sponsored national museums and some cultural bodies in England due to the financial impact of Covid-19. This is in addition to the extension of the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme, and the continued reduction in VAT, among other measures.

Entertainers: EU Countries

Baroness Bull: To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to negotiate bilateral agreements with all EU member states exempting (1) touring performers, (2) creative teams, and (3) crews, including (a) dancers, (b) choreographers, (c) producers, and (d) technicians, from entry requirements or restrictions on short-term work for 90 days.

Baroness Bull: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the provision for the performing arts in the UK–EU Trade and Cooperation Agreement; and what financial support they intend to provide, if any, to the performing arts sector to make up for added EU touring costs.

Baroness Bull: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the provision for the performing arts in the UK–EU Trade and Cooperation Agreement; and what financial support they intend to provide, if any, to the performing arts sector to make up for added EU touring costs.

Lord Smith of Finsbury: To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to negotiate arrangements with the EU for reduced visa requirements for performances by (1) musicians, and (2) other artistic performers.

Lord Smith of Finsbury: To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to negotiate arrangements with the EU for reduced visa requirements for performances by (1) musicians, and (2) other artistic performers.

Baroness Barran: This Government recognises the importance of our world leading creative and cultural industries. That is why it provided an unprecedented £1.57bn package of support to help these sectors through the COVID-19 pandemic. To date, over £1 billion has been awarded to almost 3800 organisations, with at least 75,000 jobs saved so far, and many more freelancers also benefiting from new work that can now be created. At Budget 2021, HMT also announced £300m of additional funding for the Culture Recovery Fund which will be made available to support cultural organisations in England as audiences begin to return. This demonstrates our firm commitment to ensuring that UK culture continues to thrive. We know that while leaving the EU will bring changes and new processes to touring and working in the EU, it will also bring new opportunities. Leaving the EU has always meant that there would be changes to how practitioners operate in the EU. UK performers and artists are of course still able to tour and perform in the EU, and vice versa. However, we understand the concerns about the new arrangements and we are committed to supporting the sectors as they get to grips with the changes to systems and processes. We are now working urgently across government and in collaboration with cultural and creative industries, including through a new working group, to help address these issues so that touring in Europe can resume with ease as soon as it is safe to do so.

Social Enterprises: Finance

Lord Taylor of Warwick: To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to increase financial support for social enterprises.

Baroness Barran: The Government has provided an unprecedented multi billion pound package of support, allowing social enterprises and other civil society organisations, including those at risk of financial hardship, to continue their vital work during the Covid-19 outbreak The funding includes furlough payments, the Coronavirus Business Interruption Loan Scheme and direct funding to the charity and social enterprise sector through the £750m sector support package, £150m release of dormant assets. The impact of the funding will continue beyond the life of the grants with equipment purchased still being used and service adaptations still benefiting people across the country.

Broadband: Small Businesses

Lord Taylor of Warwick: To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to ensure that full-fibre broadband is accessible for all small businesses.

Baroness Barran: In areas not covered by commercial delivery, support to provide full-fibre broadband to premises is currently being provided through schemes including the Superfast Broadband programme, Local Full Fibre Network (LFFN) and Rural Gigabit Connectivity (RGC) schemes. LFFN is a challenge funded scheme designed to stimulate commercial investment in full fibre networks across the UK. This programme will be ending in December 2021. RGC will be ending in March 2021, after which any new projects can be developed as part of the public sector hubs element of the new UK Gigabit programme.The Government’s ambition for digital infrastructure presents opportunities for growth and security in the UK economy. The National Infrastructure Strategy outlines how the Government is working with industry to target a minimum of 85% gigabit-capable coverage by 2025 and to go as far as possible beyond this as part of our £5 billion UK Gigabit programme. The 2020 Spending Review set out the timeline for how the first tranche of the £5 billion we have promised will be made available to industry.Furthermore, as announced on 8 August 2020, to develop an evidence-based strategy to encourage take up of gigabit broadband services by consumers and small businesses, the government asked Which?, CBI and the FSB to convene a Gigabit Take-up Advisory Group. The group has been engaging with a wide range of stakeholders to develop its evidence and solutions. An interim report with the group’s initial findings was published in December 2020, and is expected to publish a final report by Spring 2021 with its recommendations.

Social Media: Press

Lord Blencathra: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the introduction of a mandatory news media bargaining code by the government of Australia, what plans they have, if any, to introducelegislation to compel social media companies to pay for news contenttaken from other news outlets.

Baroness Barran: The UK government is committed to supporting the sustainability of trusted journalism. We have announced plans to introduce a new code of conduct to govern the relationships between powerful online platforms and the businesses which depend on them. It will cover the relationships between publishers and platforms to ensure they are fair, and help support the sustainability of the press. The code will be overseen by a new Digital Markets Unit and we will consider all options as we consult on its form and function later this year. No decisions have yet been taken.We are also engaging with the Australian government to develop our understanding of the progress they are making, and are closely monitoring the reaction from both publishers and platforms.

Creative Europe: Culture

Baroness Bull: To ask Her Majesty's Government what progress has been made to establish a domestic alternative to the Creative Europe's Culture sub-programme, following the announcement by the Chancellor of the Global Screen Fund on 25 November 2020.

Baroness Barran: The Government decided not to seek continued participation in the Creative Europe programme as part of the UK’s withdrawal from the EU but to look at other ways of supporting the UK’s arts and cultural sectors.We understand the role international cultural partnerships and networking play in driving forwards the very best in leading contemporary practice. This Government will continue to assess the needs of the sector through the continued impacts of COVID-19 and in establishing our place on the world stage outside of the European Union.So far, we have provided £1.57bn through the Cultural Recovery Fund, ensuring record breaking support is available to support the cultural sector through the COVID-19 crisis.

Dance and Theatre: Insurance

Baroness Bull: To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to introduce an insurance scheme for dance and theatre, similar to the Film and TV Production Restart Scheme announced by the Culture Secretary on 28 July 2020.

Baroness Barran: We are aware of the concerns which have been raised about the insurance cover for live events, including dance and theatre. DCMS officials have been working closely with the sector to understand the challenges and to keep the situation under review.Understandably, the bar for considering Government intervention is set extremely high, especially in light of recent announcements including the considerable extension to the furlough scheme and local business support as well as the uncertainty when mass gatherings can take place safely.The evidence of why an indemnity scheme needs to be developed now must be clearly demonstrated and robust evidence must be provided that indemnity cover is the only barrier to staging events.Given the high costs involved in setting up a scheme we also need to make sure it is the most effective and appropriate use of funds at a time when we are looking at how best to support the sector in facing the wider challenges around recovery and renewal. As such, HM Treasury does not believe that now is the right time for an insurance intervention.